Saturday 30 December 2006

World Summit for Sustainable Development: FAILED

by Uchita de Zoysa

The World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) that was held in Johannesburg from 26th August to 4th September ended as a historical failure. WSSD failed to achieve significant commitment to Sustainable Development goals as set in the agenda, it failed to obtain commitments from the developed nations, it failed to make specific financial commitment to the betterment of life on earth and failed to get support from heads of states, national governments and also civil society and other major groups. What is most sad is that WSSD failed the world.

The writer participated in the recently concluded World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg as a civil society representative invited by the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service. He was a Steering Committee Member of the International NGO Forum for the Earth Summit in Rio de Kaneiro in 1992 and presently is the Chairman of the Centre for Environment & Development based in Sri Lanka. A strong advocate of Sustainable Development and promoter for the creation of a Better World, Uchita shares his first hand experience of WSSD.

In the aftermath of the summit, this postmortem is done to make sure that certain aspects of the failure be recorded for historical purposes and also to make sure that the future directions of the world are corrected as fast as we can. It is widely believed that WSSD was the end to a series of World Summits since Rio Earth Summit in 1992. While UN officials were heard saying that this is the last UN summit at least for a long time to come, activists screamed out "No More Shameful Summits." Does this mean that no one believes anymore that spending a stupendous US$100 million on a global negotiation process is worthwhile? Well, certainly not the way WSSD was conducted.

To read the complete article please
visit:
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2002/09/15/fea09.html

Pl visit to read Article on:"Can a World Summit help achieve Global Sustainability? "by Uchita de Zoysa
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2002/06/02/fea09.html

Friday 29 December 2006

Making Sustainable Consumption Work in Asia (Abstratct)

by Uchita de Zoysa, Executive Director - Centre for Environment & Development





Introduction: In 2004/5 a project SC.Asia was coordinated by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and financially supported by the European Union’s Asia Pro Eco Programme. The project was carried out in partnership with the Centre for Environment and Development (CED), Consumers International (CI), and the Danish Consumer Council (DCC). SC.Asia was responding to a call from Asian Governments and regional experts, as voiced in the Marrakech Process, to support Governments to identify and build capacity to promote best practices on sustainable consumption. The author of this paper conducted the Asian Review on Sustainable Consumption in 12 Asian countries and a model for SC in Asia evolved from the various discussions and interviews held with experts from over 100 organizations representing government, NGOs, universities and industry. As the project was based on Section G: Sustainable Consumption of the Consumer Protection Guidelines, the initial model had serious limitations and revolved around few guidelines specified in concrete SC action. However, since then the model has been regularly updated by the author expanding its scope and applicability for Asia and now to rest of the world as well.


Can the above Model present some answers to the questions of achieving SC in Asia?

1. What knowledge is most needed for societies to pursue sustainability through the integrated management of production-consumption systems?
a. Co-relations and over-lapping between consumption and production systems. (Eg: Environmentally sound products and services as a required condition for SC)
b. Requirements of other needs, conditions, and supporting means for sustainable consumption to be a reality. (Eg; Poverty Alleviation as a required condition for SC)
c. Influences that determine behavior and lifestyles constituting sustainable and unsustainable consumption patterns and processes. (Eg: An Informed Society as a required condition for SC)
d. Consumer and producer aspirations as well as governance determinants that condition the future supply, demand and market based penetrations. (eg: Fair Trade as a required condition for SC)

2. Where appropriate knowledge already exists, but is not being effectively used, what could be done to narrow the knowledge-to-action gap?
a. Appropriate technology needs to be encouraged and promoted as a means for SC Action
b. Food Security & Safety needs to be enforced as mandatory conditions for SC
c. Certification and product information needs to be regulated by legislative and enforcement means for SC

And, where the needed knowledge appears to be absent, how can research be re-oriented to address the sustainability problems in the production-consumption system?
a. Awareness, education and marketing strategies and programmes needs to be well researched along with consumer behavior research
b. Efficient and appropriate technologies need to be researched along with environmentally sound products and services.
c. Waste Management (4R) needs more efficiency generated through research.

Note: The above model provides debate on linking the various processes, mechanisms, tools, and systems that enables a holistic approach towards policy development to enable SC. Therefore, the final goal in SC in Asia is to help create “Quality Livelihood for All” as in healthy, happy, content and meaningful lifestyles adopted by all societies with realization and active participation within the earth’s carrying capacity.

Thursday 28 December 2006

CED: A BRIEF PROFILE




Centre for Environment and Development (CED) is a legally incorporated (incorporation number N/A 702) non-profit making Non-Governmental Organization that operates as a think tank and concept builder, research & policy institute, watchdog and campaigner at local, national and international levels. It was established in 1998 as a successor to the Public Campaign on Environment & Development (a large NGO coalition created during UNCED that formulated Sri Lanka's 1st Citizen's Report on Environment & Development). Its main work areas evolve around the concept of "Creating a Better World" and work around the main thematic areas of Sustainable Development and Social Justice.

Some recent activities of CED have been to improve national and international policy and establish institutional mechanisms and social/political processes that can help create a better and sustainable world.

– NCSD: CED several years ago proposed and initiated a process to lobby for the creation a National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD). CED for period of two years hosted the a stakeholder steering committee for the NCSD. CED also proposed to formulate a National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS). During the year 2002 CED hosted a series of preliminary stakeholder meeting with participation of the Ministry of Environment & Natural Resource Management. This provided the background for the cabinet approval of the setting-up of the NCSD and for the formulation of the NSDS.
– WSSD & National Report: CED was invited by the Ministry of Environment & Natural Resource Management to write the chapter on Civil Society Participation for the National Report to WSSD. CED also hosted the National Report consultation meeting for Civil Society on the invitation of the Ministry of Environment in Sri Lanka.
– SC.Asia: CED has teamed up with UNEP & Consumers International as the Asian partner for a project SC.Asia: Capacity Building for Implementation of UN Guidelines on Consumer Protection (Sustainable Consumption) in Asia. CED has already completed reviews in the 12 Asian countries and holding meetings with over 100 government and NGO authorities working on Sustainable Consumption & Production. The Asian Review draft prepared by CED has been officially adopted by the SC.Asia Board and the findings will be circulated and published soon.
- NAP on SC in Sri Lanka: CED is a currently working with the Ministry of Trade, Commerce & Consumer Affairs in Sri Lanka to develop a National Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and is facilitating the process as an expert group. For this the Ministry has set-up a National Steering Committee on Sustainable Consumption in partnership with CED as the expert centre.
- Asian Expert Resource Center for SCP: CED has launched an Asian Expert Resource Centre for Sustainable Consumption & Production. The centre will establish a network of organizations workig on SCP issues in Asia and will jointly implement project with organizations in Europe and other parts of the world.




- From Poverty to Sustainability: CED has initiated a project to eliminate poverty using sustainable consumption and production tools. The first project is a Community based Sustainable Coir Project conducted in partnership has already expanded into different areas such as micro credit fund, entrepreneurship programme and ICT skill development and will seek national & international partners for its implementation.
- Better World Childrens’ Club: A club constituting chidren in the view of creating a better understanding and caring society. The club wuill be launched during the December 2005 school holidays. The project will aim at establishing chapters around the country and different parts of the world. A club twining progamme will then be facilitated. Programmes will include eco-camps, learning courses on sustianble living, no more waste campaigns, and many more.
- Consumer Protection Unit: CED has set-up a consumer protection unit and will execute the consumer redress centre, consumer legal assistance programme, comparative product testing programme and a consumer alert communications campaign. CED will find appropriate international and local partners to set-up the capacity on areas such as bio technology and testing etc.
- Human Rights Unit: We are currenetly on a programme to create awareness on rights of IDPs in Sri Lanka. The campaign is developed in partnership with our partner communications agency.
- CSR Parnerships: CED with will forge Public-pRivate Partnerships to implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects. This will include offering training and capacity buildinh to organizations in the Asian Region.
- Research, Communications, Training & Publications Division: The main activities will include “The Sustainer” e-magazine, Lanka Consumer magazine, SCP Global Forum e-debate, publication of Asian Review on Sustainable Consumption, CED Website, Poverty & SCP Linkages Research & Publication, CSR Training Module.


Contact Details:
Mr. Uchita de Zoysa
Executive Director
Centre For Environment & Development
253/10, Stanley Thilakaratne Mawatha, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Tel: +94 11 2768459 Mobile: +94 777 372206 Fax: +94 11 5553493
e-mail: ced@sltnet.lk / betterworld@sltnet.lk / uchita@sltnet.lk

Friday 1 December 2006

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Contact:
Uchita de Zoysa
Managing Director - D&D Strategic Solutions
253/10, Stanley Thilakaratne Mawatha, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Tel: +94 11 2768459 Mobile: +94 777 372206 Fax: +94 11 5553493
e-mail: betterworld@sltnet.lk / uchita@sltnet.lk